Walker Nation founder working on new project with Universal Orlando Resort

Linda Murphy Lifestyle Editor @HNFastFood

Sunday

Apr 15, 2018 at 8:29 AM

Somerset native started out as local podcaster

As Walker Nation’s Dave Solo marked his final live appearance on the stage at Walker Stalker Convention in Chicago this month, he’s looking ahead to a new endeavor with Universal Orlando Resort.

Though he hinted it’s something “new” that Universal Orlando Resort has “never done before,” Solo’s not allowed to reveal much more about the project he’s working on as an independent contractor.

Solo, a resident of Somerset and co-founder of the locally-produced Walker Nation podcast, has already made his mark at Universal Orlando Resort. Last fall, he was selected as one of five storytellers to write a blog for the resort’s Halloween Horror Nights.

Solo, who already made a name for himself talking horror on his podcast, was picked as the "pop culture guy," expanding his realm beyond the world of horror. He was also featured in a couple of Universal Orlando Resort YouTube videos related to Halloween Horror Week. In one, his head was shaved as he made the transformation into a scare actor with prosthetic makeup.

Solo also created another podcast, The Pop 10, in which he does monthly Top 10 countdowns on all things related to pop culture. Originally he did it with guest co-hosts such as Joey Fatone from NSYNC, David Rapaport (casting director for “Riverdale," "Gossip Girl,” “The Flash,” “Arrow” and “Supergirl”) and actor Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films, before finding a permanent co-host, Alyson Lundell.

Solo and his Walker Nation podcasters — his wife, Liz and her sister, Christina Camara — just marked the four-year anniversary of the Walker Nation podcast. Now, as a veteran podcaster, Solo also consults with others jumping in the popular media.

They’re also heading into the 200th Walker Nation podcast, with plenty of people they’d like to interview in the future: Robert Kirkman, creator of “The Walking Dead,” and anyone from the “Stranger Things” cast, "especially Millie Bobby Brown,” he said.

Solo did check off one of his all-time pop culture favorites recently: meeting the wrestler Ric Flair, who he interviewed at the Heroes & Villains Fan Fest Atlanta 2017 this past November. “I turned into a fanboy on stage... the audience just disappeared,” he recalled.

As he looks ahead to the yet-to-be disclosed project for Universal Orlando Resorts and the success of the two podcasts, Solo said, “It all started with a podcast and a media pass (to Terror Con in Providence and Walker Stalker Con in Boston in 2014).”